True Love in small Packages
by BlindMediaProductions
Summary: Before Skyrim, Cheydinhal was where the Dark Brotherhood was. But then it fell, and the Brotherhood lived on. Cicero is haunted by the faces of those who died and left him alone. But one if one face...was real?
1. Chapter 1

Babette watched her fellow vampire sister hum and skip around the sanctuary like the 13 year old child she looked, gaining slight smiles from their other siblings. Silver hair that showed her true age and power glittered behind her as she tried to jump between the tiles in the dim gloom of the Sanctuary…their Sanctuary. Amon was very excited for a 700 year old Vampire Lord…er Lady, and when she heard they were gaining a new sibling and the Night Mother; her glee was apparent. Even Astrid didn't have the heart to break the usually sullen woman-child out of her rare bout of childish mood. It was rare any of them heard the so called 'Dragonborn' laugh; and since she had come to their Sanctuary a year ago after hers was burned to the ground…their sister had been grieving so.

Astrid looked down when Amon flew past her with cooking ingredients clasped in her tiny, stick like arms and the leader of their Family smiled widely, placing a calming hand on her husbands arm when he growled at their sister to slow down. With 700 years experience Amon was a master chef and any food made by her was welcome. Astrid didn't know if she wanted to KILL or kiss the new sibling for making the vampire so…excited. He was after all coming to usurp her position as Leader.

"Peace husband….I saw nirnroot and cocoa beans in there. I think our sister is making those delightful truffles again." That shut Arnbjorn up, he was in fact addicted to the nirnroot truffles Amon had made for them the week after she joined up. They had been heavenly but she had refused to make them since; saying they were only for special occasions.

The Keeper found them all gathered in the kitchen of the Sanctuary when he came in, all laughing as the tiny vampire duo played a pair of instruments and singing old songs from the days of old. It was a strangely lively tune as well. Cicero chuckled to himself when the silver haired un-child pulled Astrid out into the middle of the floor to dance, a silly childish dance before he cleared his throat and they all turned around, knives in hand. He giggled nervously, holding his hands up to show he was unarmed.

"Now now, brothers and sisters….is that any way to greet me?" He saw the silver haired un-child's eyes widen before a wide smile lit her face, a not so nice smile now that he thought about it. She also looked vaguely familiar- oh. OH…well shit. The whole family looked slightly startled when Amon started stalking forward with an unholy light in her blood red eyes. Their newest recruit, the new Dragonborn, watched fascinated and slightly alarmed as they got closer.

"Hello, CICERO. My old FRIEND, my old BROTHER." Her voice was a quiet hiss of childish fury and Cicero could actually feel FEAR creep down his spine as Lucian's old Silencer stalked forward to grab the front of his uniform and drag him down to eye level. He smiled widely, his pupils dailating in fear at thoughts of what this small child could DO to him with 700 years experience. He honestly couldn't understand why she was seething so…it had been 5 years since the fall of the Cheydinhal Sanctuary. He was, of course, GLAD to see her well…'alive' wasn't the right word. Undead? Yes… yes that worked. Oh by Sithis, he could see the void in her eyes. Cicero gulped nervously and managed to squeak out a reply.

"Hello, sister! It's a…pleasure to see you again. I thought you lost when the Sanctuary fell." Amon bared her fangs in a parody of a smile, backing the Imperial up into a wall while the others gathered together and watched intently. The vampire, and long past Dragonborn shoved Cicero into the wall harshly and he slid down it onto his butt.

"I don't care if you're Keeper. I have half a mind to STRANGLE you for leaving me in Cheydinhal when you LEFT. Left poor little Amon to claw her way out of her own coffin and find her way out of the ruined Sanctuary. I had no idea if you were ALIVE, if the Night Mother was safe? How could you do that to me!?" Cicero smiled and tried to look apologetic, though he certainly hadn't even thought of his sleeping sister until months afterward when he went back to find her destroyed coffin in the crypt.

He had mourned for his favorite Sister, damning whoever had, in his mind, killed her and taken her body for their own sick reasons. Now…now he was starting to regret not remembering her during the attack…if only because Amon was sure to make his life a living HELL in revenge. He heard Astrid laugh and walk over to pull the tiny vampire off him and help him up.

"Well this was quite an interesting first meeting with the Keeper of the Night Mother." Cicero smiled nervously when his old friend continued to stare at him like a disgruntled wet cat…but at least the Usurper had made her stop wanting to rip his throat out. He brushed himself off and tried to smile again. It had been so long since he had last talked to a real human…Cicero was very nervous.

"Yes, well…had I known Amon was here I would have come sooner. It is nice to see that someone survived that horrible event." The Family nodded and ushered him over to join them while Babette came over with a tray of sweet rolls she had just pulled out of the oven. Cicero could feel his mouth start to water and quickly took two, swearing lightly under his breath as they burnt his fingertips. Cicero felt small hands wind around his middle and he looked down to see his favorite, miserable vampire hugging him hesitantly.

"I missed you…brother. I am gladdened to see you are unharmed. If not a little more insane then when I last saw you." He frowned, eyes darkening as he put his food down to hug her back. He had missed his sister greatly…he had loved her more then the others for she was always loyal to the Night Mother.

Loosing her…he had taken a turn for the worst; and being alone in silence had taken it's toll on his mind. Honestly he had no idea how she could stand being alone for years on end. He heard a few of the others sigh and make 'awww' noises under their breath, but he didn't think it was cute when the only person he trusted was shaking like a leaf in his arms. She may not be a child but he supposed being turned as a 13 year old would keep you stuck in that state of mind. He admitted; the whole family at Cheydinhal had spoiled her because of her youthful looks. It was hard not to when a child gave you 'The Eyes'.

"I missed you too, Amon. What say after dinner you show me and Mother around?" Little red eyes peeked up at him from where she had buried her face in his traveling tunic and stared at him for a second before her face broke into a wide, bright smile.

"Silly, silly Cicero. How can I show our Night Mother around? She has to stay in her coffin! But I will show you around so her dear Keeper can tell her all about it."


	2. Chapter 2

Amon cursed her luck as she crashed through the brush, running for her life from the red and tan Ancient Dragon on her heels. When Cicero finds out this happened, and he will because she knows she looks like the damn thing put her through the wringer, he was going to have a FIELD DAY. The little vampire dodged to the right as a gout of flame singed her hair and she swore. The Keeper was going to sooooo ground her for the rest of eternity! THERE, just ahead was the spectral form of her old Speaker.

"KILL IT! By the gods above, Lucian, kill it! Killitkillitkillitkillit~!" Amon could feel tears running down her cheeks as she slid past him with the scales she had pried off the damn thing and she had NO health potions left. Damn the day making her regeneration gifts not WORK. Just beyond the clearing she was in was the Black Door and she streaked towards it. Arnbjorn looked up from the deer he was working on skinning when Amon came tearing into the clearing around the Sanctuary with a dragon on her heels and a Specter trying to kill it, looking semi smug even in death.

"What the hell, kid!? What did you bring back with you?" Amon could have kissed the werewolf but settled for hiding like a sissy behind him. Even SHE wasn't stupid enough to take on a dragon with no potions, and no way to duck into cover to snipe it, and no magicka. The little vampire had done a lot of stupid shit in her life; but THIS was not going to be on her list as she watched Arnbjorn kick the shit out of the dragon. After it was dead he dragged her pathetic form into the Sanctuary before she could bleed out and start to burn up in the sun.

"Astrid, get Babette please. Our resident Vampire Lord decided to get her child butt handed to her." Astrid poked her head into the entrance from the main room and saw the bloodied and beaten form of her husband and the child vampire. She paled and ushered them in, calling for Babette to come with bandages and potions. Arnbjorn sat Amon down near the waterfall and started to clean the dirt and blood from her wounds while the vampire swayed dizzily from a head injury.

"Damn kid." The werewolf rumbled at her, "You sure know how to worry us. What were you thinking; taking a Dragon on in the daylight?" She smiled weakly and painfully at him, trying not to make her wounds worse. She could already hear Festus and Nazir trying to restrain a frantic Cicero in the kitchen. Well…word does travel fast in the small family. Astrid probably told him to be cruel. Arnbjorn pressed hard on a large gash that stretched across the bridge of her nose from when she had tripped on a rock. She hissed in pain as he cleaned the grit out even as the sound of Cicero's panic came closer.

"It's not my fault that Nazir needed Dragon Scales to replace our broken daggers. The other Dragonborn left us for the Thieves Guild so I'm the only one who can kill them now." As soon as she finished this sentence Arnbjorn was torn away from her by a snarling Cicero who pulled her close to his chest with a mad glint in his eye.

"You get away from her! Stupid dog, hurting my Amon." She wheezed as he gripped her harder while half muttering and half yelling at the others to 'stop hurting' her.

"Cicero, Cicero please. That hurts…" He turned his head sharply and saw that some of the wounds from her fall down the mountain has begun to bleed again from the force of his grip. Ciciro came back to himself with a sharp intake of breath and loosened his hold on his little Amon. She gave her jester a weak smile as he started to fuss over her, wiping the rest of the blood and grit off her as Babette came over with bandages and potions.

"Cicero never should have- I mean…I never should have let you leave in the day. You're weak during the day; vulnerable. I should have at least gone with you." He frowned when the gentle touch of the rag on a wound made Amon flinch and whimper in pain. Stupid, how stupid could he have been!? Allowing her to take a contract during the day, Nazir and he were going to be having words soon. He had endangered the life of CICERO'S most precious person…well besides the Night Mother of course. He relaxed a bit when she patted his arm with one of her tiny, tiny hands. Everything about his vampire was tiny…except her heart. Such a kind vampire his Amon was.

"I'm alright, Cic…it's not like it could kill me for good. Besides you had to care for the Night Mother- OUCH! Babette watch it; that is a broken arm!" She yelped when the other child vampire snapped the bone of her left forearm back into place and started to bandage it up. Cicero twitched violently and started to nervously pet Amon's hair to keep himself calm; lest he snap again and harm someone for 'hurting' his favorite sister. Babette 'tsk'ed at her as she put bandages on the wounds all over the elder Vampire's body.

"I will be careful when you are." Cicero waited patiently until the un-child was finished patching up Amon and quickly pulled her into his arms again and left for his rooms, eyes wide and manic. He had to hide her away, secret her away from the others lest they get her hurt again. She was his weakness; she was the only one he loved as much as their unholy matron. The Keeper looked down at her sleeping form as he laid her out on the spare bed he had moved in there. He smoothed back her silver hair and placed a kiss on her forehead.

Yes, his Amon was too precious to leave alone with the Usurper and her ilk. Cicero knew…because he loved her. His young-old child-vampire; he loved her. It had taken 5 years away from him to realize he felt the same way about her as she did him. She had confessed to him the day before the attack and now that he knew he was never letting her go. He narrowed his eyes as a thought crossed his mind.

'What if the Fake leader tried to hurt Amon to keep him in line?' Cicero felt panic well up in his heart. No, he would kill the Usurper before she could harm Amon or the Night Mother. The vampire was his best bet for a Listener; she had the training. But there had been no time for her to try to communicate with the Night Mother before the attack. She had been gone on a long mission before that and had only returned two days before Cheydinhal fell.

No one would get between him and his Duties…and if Amon was the Listener he would be free to love her as she did him.


	3. Chapter 3

Cicero watched Amon work over their target acting like a call girl, her painted face carefully set into a charming smile. He could feel his skin crawl as the man they were supposed to kill flirted with HIS vampire. With a snarl of anger he stood to follow them out the door, plans of a painful murder running through his head.

'Cicero will KILL the stupid man for daring to touch MY vampire. Yes…Cicero will employ the Butchers method and STABSTABSTAB him until he dies!' He could feel the cracks in his mind straining as he snuck up behind the man and pushed him into a wall; sinking his dagger into the stupid man's body. He died with a gasp, but still Cicero stabbed him until tiny hands gripped his own blood soaked one gently and the jester came back to himself. Big red eyes looked up at him with adoration and slight worry and he took a deep breath, letting the target slide down into a bloody heap before he gripped Amon to himself.

"Oh my dearest Cicero…where do you go inside your mind?" Cicero let her soft voice sooth him and he cursed himself for letting the job get to him. Of course Amon cared NOTHING for the slime who had been their target. She had made is perfectly clear she only cared for him and Mother.

"Cicero goes back to the silence…Cicero can not stand being alone. Cicero fears you will leave him, but you were Apprentice Listener and Cicero needs you to be whole again." Gentle fingers smoothed the creased from his forehead and cool lips pressed against his cheek, pulling his amber eyes to Amons form again. She smiled sadly at him and tucked her head under his chin.

"….Cicero?" Cicero nodded into her hair, listening closely to her quiet voice. She had begun to shake again and the poor jester couldn't tell why. A small cool spot on his chest make him look down to see her gripping his shirt with her tiny, sweet eyes clenched shut.

"Cicero…I want to be human again. So I can be with you." Cicero could have sworn he felt his heart stutter to a stop at her words. 700 years without changing, and suddenly to throw that away for him? This could kill her…but as he squeezed her closer; he could almost bring himself to not care.

"Cicero will find a way to make sweet Amon human again." His little vampire chuckled as he carried her back to the horse to leave for home.

"I can ask Bab's too; she'll know."

"You horrible, evil little monster! Come back here with poor Cicero's hat!"

"Make me, fool!" Cicero stomped after the silver haired menace that had taken his jester hat before running off with a shrill scream of glee. Of course she had chosen to do so when he was in the bath and so he was chasing after her in a towel only with suds still in his hair from the soap. Amon poked her head through the door way of the kitchen to watch him coming before streaking off again with a squeal and the slap of tiny bare feet on stone. The jester sighed and ran his fingers through his bright red hair, wondering how he would put up with her as a human. Babette smiled at his frustrated face from her spot at the table and offered him her own advice when he sat down.

"Amon told me she wants to become human again so she can be with you." Cicero nodded tiredly as he felt his heart twinge at the very thought. He saw Babette smirk and lean forward to pat his shoulder. "Listen, I know how dangerous it is to reverse this. Have you ever thought of becoming a vampire for her? Vampire mates always know where their other is; you would never be alone again."

Cicero froze at those words. To never be alone? To always know where Amon was or what was going on with her? It was…tempting. He opened his mouth to respond when a blood curdling screech from the Night Mother's room made him jump to his feet and run like a bat out of hell. He all but kicked the door in to find poor Amon huddled as far away from the coffin of the Night Mother as physically possible while the skin on her wrists bubbled and smoked as if burning. He rushed forward, ignoring the others and his state of undress to check if the coffin had been harmed then turned to sooth the frightened vampire.

"What in the name of Sithis happened!? What was that scream?" Cicero pulled Amon's wrists towards him to see how badly they were hurt while Astrid stomped around and made noise while trying to make it seem like she was the big bad Leader.

"Sh-sh-she GRABBED me." Amon stuttered out, eyes the size of plates and pupils nothing more then pinpricks in her fear. Cicero felt his brain sputter before starting up again and he soothed his sister. "I-I was just going to hide Cicero's hat in the coffin and the Night Mother grabbed my wrists! Then there..there was a voice in my head saying something about…darkness rising when silence dies."

The jester couldn't believe his LUCK! He could have kissed Amon right then and there, she had said The Words! The words their Mother would use to show Cicero she had chosen a Listener! He giggled madly and crushed his little Listener to his chest with glee and swung her around. And she was HIS Listener…his and Mothers! Never Astrids, oh no!

"The Listener has been CHOSEN! Oh, happy day! Mother is back! The Brotherhood is BACK!" Astrid paled and he gave her a vicious smile while Amon pulled herself free to try and make sense of what had happened. The blonde leader of the brotherhoods face then turned red with anger when told about the contract the Mother had told her of.

"You will do as I say; I am the Leader! Go…go shopping in town. I- I have to think. Nazir has contracts for you too." Amon hissed lowly even as Cicero glared at the harlot for undermining their Unholy Matrons words. From AMON no less; for shame! He chuckled darkly as the vampire's silver hair exited the Sanctuary and his eyes flashed madly; oh yes. It was time ASTRID learned her place.


	4. Chapter 4

Amon could hear the buzzing in her head, as she stood among the bodies of 10 dismembered bandits in the mess of a dwarves ruin. She didn't even remember doing this…one second she was watching them torture some poor young woman and the next; they were all dead. Her head was filled with cotton clouds as she lifted her foot, left over rage controlling her body as she smashed all of their faces into the ground; their heads exploding like over ripe fruit. She felt hands grab her arms and she turned, with a snarl, to attack when she came face to face with Veezaara. The argonian jerked his head back as she brought her nails to a stop where his head has been.

"Oh…Veezaara. I didn't think Astrid would send help." She cooled her ruffled feathers and smoothed the blood stained front of her robes down. Veezaara steadied her when she went to take a step and wobbled from the cotton in her brain. Her face felt strangely tacky…and when Amon lifted her hand to check she found tears mixed with blood on her cheeks. She finally noticed all the wounds on her body, and arrows sticking out of her.

"Sister, you should go home and rest. You look like the underside of a bog and Astrid is getting worried." Amon turned clouded eyes back to the mess she had made and nodded in a daze, feeling the scaled hands of the Shadowscale wrap around her arms to pull her away.

"I'm done; my contract is complete." The argonian assassin just nodded and led her back to the sanctuary, where she was immediately pounced upon by Cicero who noticed her thousand yard stare and blood soaked clothing.

"Ooo, did the Listener kill someone? Was it bloody? Well of course it was; the Listener is covered in it. Was it fun? Oh the Listener is hurt…." Amon tried to smile at him, but could tell just from the feeling it was half assed. Thankfully Cicero was too excited to hear the tale of her killings to wonder why Amon looked like someone had killed her puppy. Astrid was looking at her strangely, concerned why she looked like the child-vampire had frolicked in a blood puddle instead of a mud one.

"Yes, dear Cicero; I killed someone. Just…let me get changed and clean up and I'll tell you all about it." She headed off to her and Babette's room where she fell face first into her soft fur pillow in her coffin after pulling her soaked robes off. She lay there for a few minutes and contemplated what had happened that day. Amon could feel the tacky texture of the blood drying on her skin and she could feel disgust rise up in her heart.

"I…haven't lost control like that in over 100 years. Why would I do so now?" That girl…looked so much like Cicero. Well her hair did; she was much more effeminate then the jester the tiny vampire was so fond of. Tears welled up in her eyes and she buried her face into her pillow. She knew why she had lost control; the young girl they had killed reminded her of someone she loved. The idea of that damned Jester being in danger caused her to go into a bloodlust…she had killed for him. A heart wrenching sob caught in her chest as she flashed back to the horrific night she had to see someone else she loved killed.

Outside the room Cicero and the whole family had crowded around the door when they had heard loud sobbing coming from the room. Astrid covered her mouth in shock when she peeked in and saw the one person she had never thought would cry, clutching at herself in a self styled hug and sobbing her little fool head off. Nazir looked worried and glanced at the contract in his hand warily, wondering what possibly could have been on that job to set AMON of all people crying like that.

"I wonder what happened…?" Astrid whispered, watching Cicero's face pale with worry and that damned smile slip from his lips. Babette sighed and rubbed at her arm in worry, having heard the name the other vampire was whimpering and begging to forgive her.

"I think…she saw something that reminded her of her husband…" Everyone's faces were comical; ranging from disbelief, to shock, to a mix between sadness and anger. Arnbjorn finally spoke up; his face twisted into a look of disgust.

"Someone MARRIED her? But…she only looks 13! What kind of sicko would marry a 13 year old." Gabriella, Astrid and Babette all gave the man an un-amused look while he flushed pink. Cicero looked ready to punch the werewolf's lights out.

"Maybe another VAMPIRE, Arnbjorn? She told me about him. His name was Larnix…he was killed by bounty hunters. They had been Mated for about 200 years. Mating is a far more intimate process then normal marriage" The Keeper frowned heavily, as did all the men in the group. Cicero didn't understand how HIS Amon could have been married…she loved HIM right? Babette saw his face and her softened, she reached over to pat the Keeper's arm.

"It's what I was telling you about Cicero…unfortunately being connected in such a way means she would have felt his death. That is a terrifying experience I hear. You are lucky she loves you." The others backed away from them in shock and surprise, looking between the door and Cicero as if trying to process what they had just heard.

"I spy with my little eye, peeping toms." The whole family jumped and turned back to see Amon standing in the doorway in s fresh robe and bandages. Her eyes were dark from tears and her face was grey from exhaustion. "So…I see Bab's spilled the beans. I suppose it was bound to happen eventually." She slowly walked over to Cicero and hugged him around the waist small hands curling in his jester tunic.

"Listener…?" She simply pushed her face into his stomach before pulling back.

"Contrary to what I thought…Larnix is NOT dead. He is the Emperor. That contract the Night Mother told us about? Is to kill my husband." The entire family's eyes nearly bugged out of their skull when they saw her set her shoulders in determination. "We can not disobey the Night Mother."

The whole family watched her grab her toiletries and walk down to the baths with worry, then as one turned to look at Babette and Cicero with disturbed looks on their faces. Nazir scratched his cheek with one calloused finger in a nervous gesture. Finally he smiled widely and clapped his hands together, trying to make everyone stop looking like someone had punched them in the gut. Or in Cicero's case: stabbed their puppy.

"Well…I guess we're going a-hunting for an asshole who skipped out on our Sister. That definitely makes me feel like killing the man more." But even as some faces cleared; the Keeper's face clouded with unreadable emotions. He wandered away from the group and down to the baths, where he glared darkly at the back of Amon's head. The vampire seemed to feel his heated gaze and turned her head to peek over her bare shoulder with sad red eyes.

"Why did the Listener never tell poor Cicero of her husband? Cicero thought the Listener loved him." This woman had LIED to him; betrayed him! But watching her face crumple in despair…Cicero couldn't bring himself to hate her. Anger burned though his veins even as she turned back to the water of the hot spring and stared at it as if it had done her a wrong.

"One hundred and 30 years ago…I watched as the Vigilantes of Stendarr put my husband and my three children to the stake. They spared me only because I was valuable. My bloodline can be traced back to the Royal Family and they dared not kill me." Amon's face turned feral in her anger as her eyes burned with hatred. Cicero could feel the anger, the sadness and…hurt from the woman-child before him even before he knelt to embrace her from behind. He knew that it was possible for her to have given birth; she was born in a time where people had shorter life spans and they matured faster…or younger.

"Why did you not tell Cicero of your family?" Amon leaned her cheek against his and sighed, a tear trickling down their cheeks from her eye.

"I have put that behind me. I joined the brotherhood because they offered me a family again. The Night Mother gave me the chance to turn my hatred into love for a new family. Why would a tell my new family when my children lay as only ashes when I could help others?" Cicero nodded, his anger cooling as he listened to her soothing voice and hugged her closer. The tiny vampire turned in his arms to lean their foreheads together, placing her hands on his cheeks lovingly. He opened his eyes to gaze at her face and finally asked what he had meant to ask. The question that could make or break his mind.

"Do you still love your husband? Do you love Cicero?" The smile that graced the face of the woman before him was nothing but gentle and loving. The smile of someone who cared greatly for whoever was graced with it.

"Cicero, I wanted to become human for you. I would in a heartbeat. It has been over one hundred years. My love for Larnix has long since passed with his treachery to our family. My love for you grows stronger with each passing day. I love YOU, Cicero." She pressed a gentle kiss to his lips and then hugged him. The jester Keeper could only smile and run his fingers through HIS vampire's hair as his smile turned deadly. His Listener loved him, and he loved his Listener. Now the Betrayer must be eliminated and he would present his head to Amon and Mother on a platter. Those who betrayed the Family got their just endings.

"Cicero loves Amon as well."


	5. Chapter 5

Amon screamed, the power of her Thu'um whipping up a whirlwind around the ship she was on. Larnix, wearing the guise of an old man, sat behind his desk with wide eyes trained on his wife. Even as she screeched, screamed, ranted and raved at him. Even as her own power lashed her hair and robes about her, even as her tears ran red from blood, he could not figure out what to say to her.

Around her feet…the bodies of her children lay in the red armor of his personal guard. Her speech had petered out long ago and now all she could do was scream her rage, her pain, her despair. While on the shore her new family watched in concern from the shadows as the air around the ship the Emperor was on. All of them, but one. Cicero had fled after trying to kill Astrid when she bad mouthed Amon and the Night Mother. Then the Empire had set their Sanctuary on fire…and then Astrid and the other. Everyone except Babette, Nazir and Gabrielle were dead. Well…unless you asked Amon. Then she added Cicero to that list.

But he was there, watching over her from the room across the way; in civilian clothing. But at that moment in time…all that mattered to the vampire was Larnix. The orange eyed man stuttered fearfully as she walked towards him.

"YOU. YOU sold me out to the Empire! YOU faked your death and the deaths of my children! YOU LEFT ME IN THE DUNGEONS FOR 50 YEARS….AND YOU WERE RULING ALL OF TAMRIEL!?" Was all she could manage in her anger. Her voice bordered on screeching, but boomed with her anger. Apparently all the man could do was sputter, even as his wife lifted him out of his chair and slammed him into the ground, her teeth bared against her howl of rage.

"You broke my heart, stole my children, and left me to ROT. Now I'm going to take back what was MINE." The little vampire raised her hand high and plunged it into the Emperor's chest, ripping out a bloody red gem from where his heart was supposed to be. Larnix burst into flames, his face stuck in a comical expression of surprise and fear. But even after the body had exploded, she clutched the body of her eldest child to herself, her tears not yet dry.

Cicero could only watch, heart broken, as the woman he loved cried herself hoarse; her body shaking with loud sobbing. The red haired imperial crept forward and pulled the body from the vampire's arms and quickly pulled her into his own. Amon curled into his chest, burying her face into his neck to muffle herself. The jester couldn't even bring himself to care about anything other then how much pain his Listener must be in.

"Cicero is here for dear Amon. Cicero understands and Cicero loves Amon." As he carried her off the ship, the remaining family didn't even dare comment on what he was doing alive and they simply trekked back to the Dawnstar Sanctuary where the left the Listener in her room, curled up in her coffin. Nazir pointed at Cicero over the table and gave him a stern glare over his spoon as they all sat down for dinner.

"If I ever have to see that again and it's your fault? I'll make sure she doesn't kill you, because I know I'll make your life HELL for the rest of eternity. Sithis will never get your soul if you break her heart like that MAN did." Cicero nodded solemnly, strangely quiet as he tore apart the sweet roll on his plate. He understood perfectly and would probably welcome it if he hurt his Listener. But the sheer amount of _power _Amon had given off in her state. He wondered just how powerful their sister was. Besides that; he had made his choice. He would become a vampire for Amon to show her that she could be happy with him.

Now all the had to do was wait for the Listener to snap out of her catatonic state so they could start rebuilding the Family. Which was easier said then done.

For three days and nights Amon remained unresponsive until on the 3rd day they had found her curled up at the foot of the Night Mother's coffin while staring at the far wall with a thousand yard stare. Cicero could hardly bring himself to leave her then when her power have him a sharp sting when he tried to move her from the cold cobble. Nazir finally had to drag him away from the room before the fool would let her be in peace. But they all got a surprise when she joined them at dinner. Cicero had been the most startled since she had interrupted him eating to squirm into his lap and lean her head against his chest.

"Uhm…Listener? Is everything alright now?" The small silvery head nodded against him and he wrapped one arm around her waist and continued to eat, careful not to spill any on the precious bundle in his lap. That was how the next few days were spent; Amon following Cicero around the Sanctuary like some kind of thrall. The jester didn't mind though; he liked having the Listener all to himself and spent the time he wasn't caring for the Night Mother treating Amon like some strange sort of teddy bear. He even curled up with her in her coffin. Everytime Cicero would take his little Listener into his arms to try and call her out of her own mind, he would whisper to her.

"Cicero loves Amon. Cicero will never leave Amon, but he needs dear Amon to come back." On the 7th day the jester noticed a bloody tear track down the Listener's face and she closed her eyes tiredly. The poor thing was weak from hunger and grief…and she could barely move anymore.

"I love you too…Cicero." He smiled at those whispered words and knew the worst of the healing was done now. His Amon was back. Things returned to relative normality around the Sanctuary after that. Until a year later Cicero became a Vampire and asked Amon to marry him. She had tearfully agreed and that very week they had a ceremony with the newly rebuilt Family. After that well…let's just say Cicero was determined to make up for the deaths of her first three children. There were more little red and silver haired children running around then poor Nazir knew how to handle. Luckily, their mother was good with kids. Lucian was a surprisingly good helper.

And they lived happily ever after. For now.


End file.
